MLS News: 'Cristiano Ronaldo never disrespected me the way Zlatan did', says former Manchester City star

What's the story?

Following his recent clash with LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha has labelled the Swede as "disrespectful" stating that even five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo never disrespected him despite being a little temperamental on the pitch.

In case you didn't know

Ibrahimovic was accused of threatening Onuoha during LA Galaxy's 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Monday after the former Manchester United star was booked for dragging the defender by his neck during a challenge.

Onuoha claimed the 37-year-old threatened him shortly after another challenge. He told BBC Sport, "This time he hit me on top of head. I was again thinking: 'What is going on here?' He kept saying: 'You know what? I am going to hurt you. I am going to do you. You just watch, there is enough time, I am going to do you.'"

When asked about the incident, Ibrahimovic said, "What happens on the field stays on the field. I like to feel alive. I like when it becomes duels and that, because sometimes - not that I fall asleep - but I don't feel alive if they don't actually activate me. When I get angry, I feel good."

Ibrahimovic boasts of being the league’s second-highest goal-scorer with eight goals in seven games this season.

The heart of the matter

Onuoha has responded to Ibrahimovic's comments stating that he does not think the former Inter Milan star is a "good person" and deemed him to be even more disrespectful than Ronaldo.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said, "I do not think he is a good person, so I am not going to offer my hand and, in no uncertain terms, I told him to get out."

"If that is how he wants to motivate himself, then whatever. He was having a poor game before that. He must have thought I was straight out of college over here, the way he was talking to me."

When asked if he would accept an apology, Onuoha said, "No, I think it is fake. He still thinks he is better than me as a human being and I don't have time for people like that."

Advertisement

"Even when I played against [Juventus forward] Cristiano Ronaldo when he was younger, he'd be a bit temperamental, but that was his pure desire to win, not necessarily to disrespect the opponent, which is what I think this guy is doing."

"It seemed like it was me upsetting him more, which is crazy from a guy who will go down as one of the greatest of all time in Europe."

What's next?

While LA Galaxy sit in second place in the MLS Western Conference, Real Salt Lake are at seventh place.

LA Galaxy are set to face NY Red Bulls this Saturday while Real Salt Lake are scheduled to face Portland on Sunday.